Going shopping

Wow - do I have a lot to write about! So - let's talk grocery store.

DH & I are doing envelope budgeting...cash in the envelopes and when it's gone, it's gone. I have a budget of $200 every two weeks for groceries. We are just finishing up the first two weeks of this system and I can tell it's going to take some getting used to. The first week, I went to the store I had my list and menu plan for one week. I also had to buy some extra groceries for a brunch at my house with both sides of the family. The ideal is to spend $100 per week. Well, I went over $28. Which meant I had less for week two. So - last Friday I did my shopping for week two. I did great and had some money left over so I splurged and bought a 24 pack of Diet Pepsi. I prefer Diet Coke, but it was too expensive!

Flashback....about 8 years ago, I remember a lady in my neighborhood talking about going to the grocery store and having to take a calculator and add everything up as she went because she only had so much money to spend. I felt bad for her and was so glad I didn't have to do that. How naive was (am?) I? So - it totally stinks to not be able to just throw things in my grocery cart but I am seeing that you do what you have to do.

Back to my grocery experience....so as I'm grocery shopping, I was just getting more and more annoyed and ornery because it SUCKS to go to the grocery store with a calculator. I wrote every cost down as I went, added up each section (produce, meat, dairy, etc), added in tax, then shopped some more. If I had been smart, I would have put back the soda and bought a package of TP or something. As I'm talking to myself and working myself into an annoyed frenzy that my budget isn't nearly large enough to accommodate everything household, I'm putting DP in my cart - a luxury at this point of my life. What an idiot. I think I bought it more to rebel than anything. I just can't justify that purchase at this point. Anyway - next grocery trip, I'm hoping to be more emotionally prepared. Given my current situation, I really need to be careful. All over $6. It's so stupid isn't it? Not being totally forthcoming w/DH over the last year certainly wasn't worth it.

So-I'll have to be extra careful this next paycheck to make up for diapers ($34) and some other misc. household needs. By the way - here's the question....do I buy yummy cheese at Costco (Tillamook 5lb brick for $11) or not so yummy cheese at the grocery store (store brand 2lb brick for $6)? It's cheaper in the long run to buy the yummy cheese, but then, that's TWELVE DOLLARS(!) out of my $200! Such a dilemma.

Ok - I think I'm addicted. I've got to shut down the computer and get some serious housework done. Today I HAVE to do laundry, clean up the kitchen (ALWAYS a disaster after the weekend), a general pick-up of clutter, and make dinner. One of my goals is to read at least one article or blog dealing with debt, money, or personal finance every day. Does my own blog count? Maybe. Anything that will keep my motivated and focused! I really would like to read another chapter in "More Than Enough" by Dave Ramsey. My favorite thing in the book so far is this:
"....J.C.Penney said, "Give me a stock clerk with a goal, and I'll show you a man who will make history; give me a man without a goal and I'll show you a stock clerk." The rich do get richer and the poor do get poorer because of vision, and vision dressed in street clothes is called goals."

So - I've got my goals for the day and I'm off to accomplish them.